Date: Thu, 12 Oct 1995 16:33:28 -0400 From: "M. Lynne Murphy" <104LYN[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]MUSE.ARTS.WITS.AC.ZA> Subject: Re: the dictionary of stereotypes there are a lot of those ethnic label compounds in hugh rawson's _wicked words_. from d.c. hauptfleisch "racist language in society and in dictionaries: a pragmatic perspective" (_lexikos_ 3:83-139, 1993) there are lots from south africa: bantu beer (sorghum beer) bantu education (not really an education at all) kaffir beads kaffir beer (sorghum beer) kaffir piano kaffir pot (black iron pot w/ 3 legs) kaffir sheeting (soft, coarsely woven cotton) kaffir tree (coral tree) kaffircorn (sorghum) hottentot god (praying mantis) kaffir crane (crowned crane) kaffir finch (red bishop) kaffir lily (clivia) blue hottentot and black hottentot (fish) kaffir bride (a kind of shrub) kaffir grapes (a kind of berry that looks like small grapes) do a dutch act (desert, suicide) dutch bargain (concluded while drinking) dutch comfort (cold comfort) dutch concert (deafening noise) dutch courage (gained from drink) dutch curse (a weed) ...lots more dutch, much of it well-known, but must be noted that "dutch" here is an insulting term for "afrikaner" (esp. "dutchman") hauptfleisch has lots more in afrikaans, but i can't translate them. some others (not from hauptfleisch): kaffir taxi (brandy & coke) zulu cattle (a breed) sotho hat sotho blanket (worn as a cloak, usually) sotho pony african time (later than scheduled) boere tan (farmer's tan) boerewors (a sausage) dutch medicine (patent medicines) indian shop (usu. dealing in fabrics, upholstery) and lots more, i'm sure. there are lots of place names in s.a. with "kaffir" or "hottentot" or "bushman" in them that are in the process of being changed. very little of the above is in offensive, so use with caution. lynne --------------------------------------------------------------------- M. Lynne Murphy 104lyn[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]muse.arts.wits.ac.za Department of Linguistics phone: 27(11)716-2340 University of the Witwatersrand fax: 27(11)716-4199 Johannesburg 2050 SOUTH AFRICA